


A Hero Whenever I Need One

by moonace



Category: Julie and the Phantoms
Genre: Other, Reggie Peters Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Verbal Fighting, alcohol mention, protect reggie peters at all cost, throwing things in anger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29980845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonace/pseuds/moonace
Summary: Little Reggie Peters finds a role model in the most unlikely way.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 35
Collections: jatp fic requests





	A Hero Whenever I Need One

**Author's Note:**

> Fic request for anon (but actually chloe @willexx)
> 
> Jatp character/ship: Reggie 
> 
> Word prompt: leather jacket

Reggie sits on the curb in front of his house, shivering in the cold night air. He may be eight, but he’s not stupid ~~despite what his teachers say~~. He knows that when mom pulls that big green bottle out, she and dad are gonna start yelling at each other. And when mom and dad are yelling, it’s best if he stays out of their view. 

The yelling gets louder and Reggie covers his ears to try and block it out. It doesn’t work. He hears the sound of something breaking and he really hopes it’s that bottle- maybe then the yelling will stop for a while. 

Luke’s parents never yell at each other. Reggie’s been to their house a lot of times, and they always smile at each other, hold each other's hands, help each other… kiss. 

“Blegh!” Reggie screws up his face and sticks out his tongue. 

The wind blows, and he wraps his arms around his torso, cradling himself in his own warmth, but it doesn’t help much. He would go back in and grab his sweatshirt, but he can still hear yelling. He hopes they will stop soon because he thinks he’ll freeze if he’s out here any longer. 

Reggie bets Alex isn’t cold right now- it’s always warm at his house. His mom is always baking goodies for them when Reggie comes over, and the warmth from the oven makes the kitchen cozy and yummy smelling. If he thinks really hard, he can almost taste the freshly baked, gooey chocolate chip cookies. 

An angry scream comes from inside the house, and Reggie’s thoughts are invaded by ice. 

Reggie spots a woman walking by, and he instinctively curls in on himself, getting as small as he can. It doesn’t work, and the woman doubles back, slowly approaching the lump of boy shivering on the curb. 

“Hey, it’s pretty cold out. Wouldn’t you rather be inside?” The woman’s soft voice surprises Reggie. Her leather jacket, dark eyeliner, black nail polish, and half shaved head had kinda scared him at first, but he supposes people aren’t always how they look. After all, his mom doesn’t look scary. 

Reggie shakes his head lightly. Another shout comes from inside the house. 

The woman eyes the door suspiciously. “Are those your parents in there?”

“M’yeah,’ Reggie mutters. 

“Hm.” Woman stares at nothing for a few moments, thinking. Then her gaze shifts to Reggie. “You planning to stay out here all night?”

Reggie shrugs, then shivers as another gust of wind blows. 

“Well then.” She slips off her leather jacket and holds it out to Reggie. “You’re gonna need something to keep you warm.”

He looks at it with wide eyes, but doesn’t move.

“Take it. It’s not gonna hurt you.”

“But,” Reggie stutters, “but it’s yours.”

“Eh.” She shrugs. “My ex-girlfriend gave it to me, so I don’t really mind. I’ll just ask my boyfriend for one for Christmas. It’ll mean more coming from him anyway.” 

Reggie is very confused by everything this woman was saying, but he takes the jacket anyway.

“Try it on.”

He clumsily put it on, struggling to get his arms into the right holes. It fits him more like a robe than a jacket, and his hands are completely swallowed up by the sleeves. He flaps his arms, giggling at the way it makes the extra material wiggle. 

“You’ll grow into.” The woman ruffles his hair before turning and walking back down the road.

As he watches her walk away, Reggie swears he’ll never take that jacket off. And she was right, he does grow into.

With his heart, mind, and soul, he grows into it.

**Author's Note:**

> title from In Case You Don’t Live Forever by Ben Platt


End file.
